Has anyone seen this before please?

F reg 999 FIRE type engine 127,000 miles. After driving a few miles, the oil pressure warning light will show. Pull over, stop and switch off. Wait for a minute or so, re start. Light goes out as normal, drive on a few miles and light comes up again.

New oil, new filter, new pressure switch fitted, problem persists.

Is this the oil pump failing or has anyone experienced some other cause?
Thank you, [email protected]

Check oil pump and oil passages for blockages. try a full engine flush but at that mileage, i'd be looking into overhauling the engine. That should definately cure the problem

Is adrenaline brown?

From what I can remember of worn engines and low pressure the lamp would come on at tick-over with a very hot engine: oil too thin to fill the gaps..

is the oil too thin?

I'm at work at the moment, can't remember the figures, but isn't the spec a bit thicker than the current fashion for 5 or 10 W 40..
Something like 15 W 40 springs to mind.

At that mileage, provided it's had fair treatment and oil and filter changes it should be OK.

If the light comes on while driving it's seriously low pressure - perhaps a stray earth onto the lead from the switch.

Hello and thanks for the replys.
The engine was well flushed, 15w40 is being used, the filter and sender unit are new. If anyone has experienced this problem before I would be interested to hear of it, especially what the eventual cure was.
Thank you, Pete.

You could try fitting an oil pressure gauge - they can be had for as little as £20.
Would at least tell you what was going on.
I was a little surprised to find my 1108 cinq ran under 10psi at idle when red hot.

You can get low oil pressure if it's running way too hot - have you checked this out? (sorry for the ignorance, don't know if yours has a temp gauge)

Pete.
Cinq sporting 1242cc
Cinqs&Seis Yahoo group
Clubcento

Thanks Pete.
The standard Pandas did not have an oil pressure guage, just a warning light. I would like to obtain a pressure guage but as a test unit to be fitted when required on any of my Pandas or my Uno.
Do the Cincs or any other small Fiats have a pressure guage? If so, I will investigate further.
Thanks, Pete.

No, neither Cinqs nor Seis come with oil pressure gauges. Seis don't even have temp gauges!![:0]

Pete.
Cinq sporting 1242cc
Cinqs&Seis Yahoo group
Clubcento

UPDATE. 10 days on and everything is OK. It looks like the flushing, filter and change of oil grade to 15W40 has cured the problem. On the first test run after the change, the light came up again but the same run has been done twice more without problem.
Thanks to all contributors.
Pete.

Not sure if this true or not, but dont all oil pressure light switches work @ under 5psi??

Not sure on the Panda will have to look it up.

Engines normally run @ pressures far exceeded by the oil pressure switch.

Light not being on is no indication that the engine is running @ the right pressure.

I would check out the oil pump before embarking on any long journeys.

Just a thought

Good point Smirn, I will have to check this out. In the mean time evrything is running normally and she still goes as well as ever.
Rgds Pete.